Information

It is estimated that about 10% of all young people in the UK are suffering from a mental health problem. However, up to two thirds of children with mental health problems do not get the help that they need.

Early intervention can help to prevent mild depression developing into deep despair, but often the provision is only available to those with severe and urgent needs. Even in these cases there may well be a waiting list. During any time of waiting, the level of distress present at the outset may well become compounded, causing the young person to suffer increasing levels of desperation.

With the advances in neuroscience the medical profession have dramatically increased their ability to diagnose and treat mental disorders. New therapies along with improvements in the effectiveness of treatments make the need for early detection and intervention more fundamental than ever. We now know that mental illness is more prevalent in youth than previously thought and that the key to successful treatment is early identification and access to provision.